Lumber bunk



March 9 1926.

v.A GILBREATH |=:r AL.

I LUMBER BUNK Filed Feb. n27, 1924. 2 SheetS-Sheket 2 Patented Mai'. '3, 19236.

omis ys'iares vieToiie, eiLBRi'iiiTii AND-sAMUEL T. WiLLiaiiisoN, or sEiiTTLi-i, WASHINGTON.

LUMBER BNK.-

Application filed rebiuary 27', 1924. 'serial No. 695,458.

To @ZZ whom t may concer/nsf Be it known that we, VICTOR G; GIL- BR'EAT and SAMUEL T. lVILLIAM'soN, citizens of the. United States, residing at Seattle, in the county 'of King and State of llflashington, have invented a certain new anduSeul Lumber Bunk, of which the fol-l support, so that warping and distortion of' the said lumber is prevented. Y

In drying lumber in kilns, the "lumber is frequentlystacked on bunks in vertically ndisposed layers between side stakes. The lumber may be held between said stakes tairly tightly when loaded, but as the'luinber dries, it shrinks, thereby creating slackness between the layersvliich permits distortion of the lumber. The shrinkage in the width ot a load varies rfrom two to tive inches. It will be noted that the forming of this Vtwo to tive iii-ches of slackness is done gradually during the operation of drying over a considerable. period ol time. y

Devices in operation as heretofore d esigned have provided spring means tota'ke up such 4slackiiess as develops during the drying operation. A .serious objection obtains as to such mechanism in 'that the amount of tension that is maintained on the lumber is not of such magnitude as to eitlecftively accomplish the ends 'indicate-d. This is due to a further condition whichniu'st be.y

met by any practically operative device, which further condition .is as follows: No

mattei' how carefully the operators may be in pilingthe lumber, there is considerable slackness in the stack of lumber when the load is-made ready to enter the kiln. will be understood that the lumber may be rough, i. e., unplaned, at the time of the dry kiln treatment. This mean-s that there are little projecting particles of wood or adhering sawdust or little splinters, which all tend to create aseparation.. or spaced relation as respects the `layers,here-inai'ter referred-to as the initial slacknessp A priliigli ldegree of pressure involved.

mary object of our `invention is to :provide a bunk which will take up this initial slacknc'ss ir'evi`o'us to any operation of the means provided to take up the s'lac'knfess yduring drying operation which is subsequent in time.

The main difficulty in lelim'inating slackness in the load occurs aty the bottom of the pile, i. e., on tliebuiik. The-friction ofthe boards on the bunk,` whichV is of great inagnitude, due to the tact lthat the weight or the superposed layers is entirely carried thereby, makes it necessary lor' the Vapplication of Lcoiisiderab'le torce to move the lumber together tightlybetore being placed ii'ithe kiln. A pi'imary object of our iiiveiition is to provide a bunk having Iiieaiis which "will supply `the necessary Vmagnitude ofi torce te fully accomplish this end. At thetop ot the pile apwellknownand long yused spring ineansis employed t'oholdthe upper 'layers tightly together. No' specialA means lortaking up the slackness is nec-- es'sarv due to the fact that tliere'is not the lii providinga meansivhicli will take'up Vthe slackness during the drying opera-tion,

and 'also in providing aineansto Ieliminate the initial slackness, tlierearises aco'n'dif tion which involves the necessityblnieans to put the spring under tension to permitV ot the loading ot the bunk with `lumber wliiletlie' stake. pocket isheld'in vits most tripping `the spring, after the initial slackii'e'ss is eliminated, it is necessary that the 4 trip finir'means be thrown comnletel 7 and n l Y ypositively out ol action. y

In providing such a lumber bunk means,

a' "furtherimportant condition, which. introduces ditliculties, is that tli'e take up or throw. ofthe means must be as great as possible, and at the same time-not strike or interfere with the klumber stacked on the 'bunlii'f'l'ieiiloaded. It is a primary object of our invention to" provide bolster which will meet Vand satisfy the requirements of proper degree oltake up', as vwell as to previde a take .up means which in ay be operable `froiirthe' end of the loaded'bolstei'". y

A furtl'ier primary object of our inven- Y tion is to simplify the throwing or stretch- The above mentioned general objects of our invention, together with others inherent in the same, are attainedby the device illustrated in the following dra-wings, the same` being merely a preferred exemplary form of embodiment of our invention, throughout which drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a lumber bunk embodying our invention, with a portion of lthe load shown mounted thereon; l

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top view` of said lumber bunk; s

Fig. 3 is a view on dotted line 3, 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 isan end view in elevation of one end of said bunk on line 4, 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged top view of the initial take up end portion of said lumberbunk; Y n y i Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of the nut means constituting a part of said invention; Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of the crank means of our invention; n

Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of the stake pocket and the end of the bunk oppositely disposed to the end which is provided with the initial takeup means;

Fig. 9 is a view of the link means attached to the nut and lying along each side of the stake pocket on the Vendhaving the initial take up means; Y Y

n Fig. 10 is a view of the link means connecting the crank means to the shaft 'of the nut link means; i

Fig. 11 is a view in perspective of the link means connecting thev spring with the sha' of the nut link means; and

Fig. 12 isa view of the U-shaped coupler used at each end of the bunk. Y

A bunk bolster 13 is preferablyformed of two channels 14 and 15, preferably secured together at the end portions by two U-shaped coupler members 16` and 17, and also by separator members 18.? Stake pockets 19 and 2O are slidably disposed in said end portionsof the bunk bolster. n

le Vwill now describe the initial take up end portion of the lumber bunk bolster embodying'our invention, and then follow with a description of the opposite end. Nut link means 21 and 22 (Fig. 9) are disposedon each side of stake pocket 19, passing through grooves23 and 2li of said stake pocket 19.

In one end of said link means 21kr and 22, a nut 25 is mounted. Said nut 25 is provided with a threaded open1ng`26 in which is operatively disposed a takeup screw 27, one end of which is disposed to bear against the stake pocket 19,so that said stake pocket may be forcibly moved towards the center of said lumber bunk bolster, being slidably disposed bothas respects the channel members 111 and 15, and also with respect to the nurl linkmeans 21 and 22. In the other end of said nut link means, a shaft 28 is disposed. Near the inner end of the coupler member 16, a crank means 29 is disposed, mounted as respects its end portions in channels 14 and 15.. This crank means 29 is connected to thek shaft 28 by means of the crank link means 30, which is rotatably mounted both as respectssaid' crank and said shaft. rlhe shaft end of said 'crank link means 29 is k'preferablyv provided with a slot 31 to permit of the proper operation of the crank, and more particularly to vprovide for the positive locking, when desired, of the crank into inoperative position by permitting the crank to drop below. n

Intermediate t-heends of the bunk bolster embodying our invention, we provide a spring 32. Spring vlink m ans 33 connects one end of `said spring 32 to the shaft Stop 34 limits the rotation upwardly of the crank 29. Y n

As respects the end of the lumber bunk bolster oppositely I disposed to the initial take up end:"Tl1estake pocket 2O is provided on its inner side with a. lug 35 (sce Figs. S, 2 and In this lug 35, a shaft 36 is provided. Nea-r the inner end portion of the coupler member 1'?, a crank means 37 is rotatably mounted as respects its end poi'- tions in the channel members 11i and 15. A crank Alink 38 connects the crank 3T to the shaft 36. "lhiscrank vlink means is proh vided with a forked end having slots 39, which engage shaft The spring 32 is provided as respects oneend portion with a link `means 40, the ends of which engage shaft 3G. Stop Ll1 limits the rotation upwardly of crank means 37.

The mode of operation of a lumber bunk embodying our invention is as follows: It will be understood that at different points Vof the load, ylumber bunk bolsters embodying our invention are disposed. Before any loading ofthe bunk is conjlmenced, a long handled wrench (not shown) is applied to the cra-nk means 29 and 37, and ,the same are forcibly rotated lclockwise into position shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5, i. e., until they strike against stops 34 and 11. This extends the spring 32 and renders the same ready to apply its force. to the' lumber when the means holding it in said extended posit-ion is moved into releasing position. The screw 27 is also turned, so that the sta-ke pocket 19 may 'be moved to its outermost position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be noted that the spring link means 33 and 49 extend lll upwardly for a part of their length, soi that when the crankmeans 29 and 37 are forced into position to stretch the spring 3Q, the link means may r lst on top of the crank means.` The crank means `is disposed to move past, i. e., above, the linejoining the conter 4t2 of shaft 2S and the' rotation center i El ofthe crank means 29, so that the spring 32 is locked in extended position during the period of loading. The same principle applies to crank 3'?.

As respects the stake pocket at the end of the bunk bolster opposite to the take up means, the same general mode of ope ation obtains only there is no initial take up means as supplied by means of the screw 27 and nut 25 and associated parts.

lilith the. stake pockets located in their outermost positions, stakes 44 are disposed in said pockets and the lumber is stacked therebetween, with spacer members 415 disposed between the tiers of lumber. Then the load is complete, a wrench (not shown) is applied to the screwl 2'? a-ndthe stake pocket 19 is Jforcibly actuated towards the center of the bunk bolster without in any wise affecting the spring. This forcing of the stake pocket 19 inwardly takes up the initial slackness between the tiers of lumib-er. This initial slackness is removed as respects each and every bunk bolster throughout the length of the load. Thereupon the wrench is applied to the crank means 29 and 37, and the same is rotated in a counterclockwise position, so that the center of the crank means is turned towards the spring 32. This permits the tension of the spring to be applied through the spring link means 33, the shaft .28, to the nut link means 21 and 22, tothe nut 25, through the screw 27, to the stake pocket 19, and thence to the lumber. Tt will bei understood that screw 27 is Yfreely mounted in separator 18. Then the crank is thrown downwardly as just described, it is manif-est that the slot 31 in the crank link means 30 insures the removal of all interference by the crank and its link means with the application of force from the spring 32 tothe. stake pocket 19, so that said crank is thrown positively out of action. The crank means 37 is ,thrown dow-nward, so that the spring means 32 may apply its force to stake pocket. 2O and thus the force of the spring is permitted to take up slackness by drawing in both stake pockets during the drying operation. Obviously, spring means 32 could lbe anchored as respects one end to the channel, and the take up means omitted as respectsA stake pocket 20. Such omission would be merely a cuttingdown of the efficiency of the means provided.

Obviously, changes may be made. in the form, dimensions and arrangement of the parts of our invention, without departing lrromthe principlethereof, the above settingforth only a preferredforni of embodiment;

1 s"We claim '1: A lumber bunkenibodying a bunk bols ster; a stake pocket slidablymounted upon one end of said bolster; a screw means operatively disposed with respect to said stake pocket, whereby said pocket may be actu- -atedlongitudinally ofsaid bolster; a crank operatively mounted in said bolster; a

spr'i-ng; a linkmeans connectingsaid vspring` and said screw means; and another link `means connecting said crank to said screw means. Y

2. A lumber bunk embodying a bunk bolster: 'a stake pocket slidably mounted upon one end of said bolster; a link means slidably disposed in the side walls of said stake pocket; a nut carried by one end of said link means; a shaft connecting the opposite end of said link means; a crank operatively `mounted in said bolster; a spring; a second mounted in said bolsterga spring; a second link means connecting said spring and said shaft in said lirst named link means; a third link means connecting said shaft to said crank; a screw operatively disposed in said nut, whereby it may be caused to bear against said stake.V pocket; a second stake pocket slidably mounted upon the other end of said bolster, having a shaft supporting lug; a shaft in said lug; a second crank op eratively mounted in said bolster; a. fourth link means connecting said springto said second crank; anda fifth link means connecting said second crank to said last named shaft.

4l. A lumber bunk embodying a bunk bolu ster; a stake pocket slidably mounted upon one end of said bolster; a link means slidably disposed in the side walls of said stake pocket; a' nut carried by one end of said link means; a shaft connecting the opposite end of said link means; a crank operatively mount y Aed in saidbolster; a spring; means connecting said spring` and said shaft in said first named link means; a third link means connecting said shaft to said crank, said link means having an oblong slot in which said shaft may lie, thereby providing a positive locking and tripping means for a second link 1 seid spring; a screw operatively disposed in said nut, whereby it muy be caused to beer against said stake pocket; `a second stake pocket slidaloly mounted uponthe other end of said bolster, having a shaft supporting lug; a shaft in said lug; a sec ond crank operatively mounted n said bolster; n Jiourth link means connecting said spring to said second crank; and a liftli link means connectingsaid second crank to said last named shaft. l

5. ln combination with a `lumber bunk bolster, a stake pocket sldably mounted upon one end of seid bolster, it spring, means connecting` said spring to said pocket, 15 and an initial take up means, whereby said stnle pooliet may be actuated longitudinally of said bolster Without lessening the tension in said spring.

In` Wit-ness whereof, We hereunto suhsoribe our names this 16th dey of Feb- 

